FLATTEN THE HEIRARCHY
Canadian Forces top-heavy with generals as rank and file shrinksOther forces have a much leaner structure. The U.S. Marine Corps has 180,000 active personnel commanded by a maximum of 62 generals.
Author of the article: David Pugliese • Ottawa Citizen
Publishing date: Nov 22, 2021 •
Acting Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Wayne Eyre.
PHOTO BY ADRIAN WYLD/THE CANADIAN PRESS/FILE
Canada’s military has become increasingly top-heavy in recent decades, with the number of rank-and-file soldiers significantly shrinking and the number of generals remaining about the same, new documents reveal.
As of March 31 this year, the regular force had dropped to 65,644 and was commanded by 129 generals and admirals, according to Canadian Forces figures released under the Access to Information law. That is in contrast to statistics from 1991, when the Canadian military’s regular force was 85,977 personnel commanded by 137 general officers.
The documents show that the significant drop in personnel was absorbed by the rank and file.
The number of privates and their naval equivalents in 1991 was 16,677. In 2021, that was 9,263. Corporals and master corporals and their naval equivalents numbered 32,265 in 1991. By 2021 that number dropped to 26,009. The number of sergeants and naval equivalents dropped from 10,211 to 6,804. In 1991, there were 8,625 warrant officers, master warrant officers and chief warrant officers and their naval equivalents. By 2021, that figure dropped to 6,376.
The numbers of captains, majors, lieutenant colonels and colonels and their naval equivalents stayed relatively stable over the same period.
Michel Drapeau, a retired colonel and Ottawa lawyer, says the growth in numbers of general and flag officers is out of control. “This is ridiculous,” said Drapeau, who obtained the documents. “We are starting to look like Brazil or Argentina.”
Drapeau noted that each general required additional personnel and staff officers to support their needs, taking away individuals from front-line jobs.
A brigadier general and their naval equivalent earn a maximum of around $182,000 a year, a major general earns $227,000, and a lieutenant general is paid $269,000.
Other forces have a much leaner structure. Drapeau noted that the U.S. Marine Corps has 180,000 active personnel commanded by a maximum of 62 generals.
A second set of records obtained through the access law by this newspaper showed the military’s public affairs branch was concerned earlier this year there might be increased scrutiny about the number of generals, in particular, because of the Canadian Forces’ plan in the spring to create six new positions.
In response, public affairs officers developed messages highlighting the leadership abilities of Canadian generals. If a journalist asked about the high number of generals, the military response was to be: “General Officers and Flag Officers lead the CAF in defending our country’s values and interests, here at home and abroad, and they are considered institutional leaders.”
Another of the public affairs messages to be issued to journalists noted that, “General Officers and Flag Officers are instrumental to meet the increased coordination and leadership requirements associated with Canada’s complex operational commitments.”
The Canadian Forces issued a statement Friday that “the current approved permanent establishment for General and Flag Officers accounts for 120 positions.” The figure included 110 regular force positions and 10 reserve force positions, according to the military. The statement, however, did not provide details on the number of officers who have been temporarily promoted to the position of general. Those individuals receive the same pay and benefits associated with the rank of general.
Last month, Acting Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Wayne Eyre raised concerns during a conference in Kingston about the decline in both regular and reserve forces.
Eyre said he was particularly alarmed at the number of experienced leaders, both officers and noncommissioned officers, who were leaving the military, CBC reported. During the Oct. 25 conference, Eyre blamed the military’s sexual misconduct crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic for the exodus.
“We need our mid-level leaders to dig deep and do this for the institution, to put service before self, not to retreat into retirement, but to advance forward and face the challenges head-on,” Eyre stated.
Response in online forums among military personnel to Eyre’s claims was mostly negative. Military personnel commented that Eyre was either tone-deaf or out of touch and that the exodus of personnel had started well before the pandemic or the sexual misconduct crisis. Poor leadership and concerns about quality of life were among the issues cited by those who had left the military.
A 2011 report by Lt.-Gen. Andrew Leslie warned about the significant growth in headquarters jobs. As a result, the Liberal election platform in 2015 promised to reduce the size of administration within the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Forces. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had said his government would ensure the military would have “more teeth and less tail.”
Canada’s military has become increasingly top-heavy in recent decades, with the number of rank-and-file soldiers significantly shrinking and the number of generals remaining about the same, new documents reveal.
As of March 31 this year, the regular force had dropped to 65,644 and was commanded by 129 generals and admirals, according to Canadian Forces figures released under the Access to Information law. That is in contrast to statistics from 1991, when the Canadian military’s regular force was 85,977 personnel commanded by 137 general officers.
The documents show that the significant drop in personnel was absorbed by the rank and file.
The number of privates and their naval equivalents in 1991 was 16,677. In 2021, that was 9,263. Corporals and master corporals and their naval equivalents numbered 32,265 in 1991. By 2021 that number dropped to 26,009. The number of sergeants and naval equivalents dropped from 10,211 to 6,804. In 1991, there were 8,625 warrant officers, master warrant officers and chief warrant officers and their naval equivalents. By 2021, that figure dropped to 6,376.
The numbers of captains, majors, lieutenant colonels and colonels and their naval equivalents stayed relatively stable over the same period.
Michel Drapeau, a retired colonel and Ottawa lawyer, says the growth in numbers of general and flag officers is out of control. “This is ridiculous,” said Drapeau, who obtained the documents. “We are starting to look like Brazil or Argentina.”
Drapeau noted that each general required additional personnel and staff officers to support their needs, taking away individuals from front-line jobs.
A brigadier general and their naval equivalent earn a maximum of around $182,000 a year, a major general earns $227,000, and a lieutenant general is paid $269,000.
Other forces have a much leaner structure. Drapeau noted that the U.S. Marine Corps has 180,000 active personnel commanded by a maximum of 62 generals.
A second set of records obtained through the access law by this newspaper showed the military’s public affairs branch was concerned earlier this year there might be increased scrutiny about the number of generals, in particular, because of the Canadian Forces’ plan in the spring to create six new positions.
In response, public affairs officers developed messages highlighting the leadership abilities of Canadian generals. If a journalist asked about the high number of generals, the military response was to be: “General Officers and Flag Officers lead the CAF in defending our country’s values and interests, here at home and abroad, and they are considered institutional leaders.”
Another of the public affairs messages to be issued to journalists noted that, “General Officers and Flag Officers are instrumental to meet the increased coordination and leadership requirements associated with Canada’s complex operational commitments.”
The Canadian Forces issued a statement Friday that “the current approved permanent establishment for General and Flag Officers accounts for 120 positions.” The figure included 110 regular force positions and 10 reserve force positions, according to the military. The statement, however, did not provide details on the number of officers who have been temporarily promoted to the position of general. Those individuals receive the same pay and benefits associated with the rank of general.
Last month, Acting Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Wayne Eyre raised concerns during a conference in Kingston about the decline in both regular and reserve forces.
Eyre said he was particularly alarmed at the number of experienced leaders, both officers and noncommissioned officers, who were leaving the military, CBC reported. During the Oct. 25 conference, Eyre blamed the military’s sexual misconduct crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic for the exodus.
“We need our mid-level leaders to dig deep and do this for the institution, to put service before self, not to retreat into retirement, but to advance forward and face the challenges head-on,” Eyre stated.
Response in online forums among military personnel to Eyre’s claims was mostly negative. Military personnel commented that Eyre was either tone-deaf or out of touch and that the exodus of personnel had started well before the pandemic or the sexual misconduct crisis. Poor leadership and concerns about quality of life were among the issues cited by those who had left the military.
A 2011 report by Lt.-Gen. Andrew Leslie warned about the significant growth in headquarters jobs. As a result, the Liberal election platform in 2015 promised to reduce the size of administration within the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Forces. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had said his government would ensure the military would have “more teeth and less tail.”
No comments:
Post a Comment